System and apparatus for disposing of plant-stalks.



I. L. DAWSON. SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DISPOSING OF PLANT STALKS.APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 28. [914.

5, Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Zzrz' [7165365.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAFH C0., WASHINGTON, D. c

ISAAC L. DAWSON, OF MAPLEHILL, KANSAS.

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DISPOSING OF PLANT-STALKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. ".7, 1915.

Application filed September 28, 1914. Serial N 0. 863,970.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC L. DAWSON, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Maplehill, in thecounty of VVabaunsee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the System and Apparatus for Disposing ofPlant-Stalks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of this specification.

The primary object of the invention is to gather the stalks, such ascorn-stalks, as they are handled in the field, and deliver the stalks tothe ensilage cutter, without the necessity of bunching and binding theharvested stalks; second, to dispense with the binding of corn or otherplants, after being out by the harvester; and third, to save the timeand labor usually expended in conveying the harvested corn-stalks fromthe hair vester in the field to the place of utilization, for animalfood.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ofparts, such as will be first fully described and then specificallypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1. is an isometric view of the invention,showing in dotted lines the position of the stalk-dumping teeth, whenthe empty stalk-conveying wagon has been removed and the dumpingapparatus has taken its place and completed its operative dumpingmovement. Fig. 2. is a view of the harvester in the field, showing themanner of loading the stalks in the wagon accompanying the harvester.Fig. is a detail view of the drop side joint on the wagon.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures ofthe drawing.

The stalks of corn when harvested in the field are usually gather-edinto bundles, and the stalks bound together in the bundles by means ofbinding twine, passed around the stalks, and the ends of the twinefastened together. This operation of tying the stalks in bundles iscommonly performed upon the harvesting machine, making it necessary tohandle the bundles of corn twice "before the stalks are utilized forensilage purposes, and requiring not only large quantities of twine,

but the services of an extra person to out the bands before the stalksare presented to the stalk cutting machine. For the purpose of sav ngthis unnecessary expense in time, labor and material, the harvesting ofthe corn under the improved system is performed by a well-known stalkcutting and elevating machine, as shown at 10, in the accompanyingdrawings, in which the stalks are out by the machine, and fall with thebutts to the rear within the trough 11, and are taken therefrom byelevator 12, and delivered to the wagon 14,which as seen is in positionalongside the elevator, both harvesting ma chine and the wagon beingadvanced in the field in a parallel position, and by the driving poweremployed the slow method being a team harnessed to a whifi'letree 13, atthe rear end of the pole 17 to move the wagon in the direction ofmovement required. The movable stalk-conveying vehicle or wagon 14: isof ordinary construction, having flat bottom boards 18, and fixed cornerposts 19, at each of the four corners of the wagon. Transverseconnecting bars 20 are connected at the ends with the respective cornerposts 19. Upon the upper surface of the bottom boards 18 are fixed thetransverse bars 21, these bars being spaced apart equal distances fromeach other and extending from one longitudinal side portion of thebottom boards 18 to the line of the other side, and being flush at saidends, as seen in detail in Fig. 3.

The sides of the wagon, are for dumping the corn, and hence movableoutwardly and downwardly. The sides as seen consist of longitudinalplates 23, and upon the inner surface are secured firmly the verticalbars 24:, the inner ends of which. are curved and abut the outer ends ofthe bars 21, on the bottom boards 18, of the wagon, said inner ends ofthe bars 24 being hinged at 25, to the outer ends of the plates 25*,secured to the ends of bars 21, so as to move outwardly and downwardly.

The side members of the body of the wagon are held in a verticalposition by the hooks 26, on the posts, which engage with the staples27, on the inner surfaces of the side plates 23.

30 indicates a table frame, supporting a platform 31, as shownrectangular in form. Upon the upper surface of the table are secured thetransverse bars 32,-spaced apartthe same distance as the bars 21, on thebottom board 18, of the wagon, and extending from the line of onelongitudinal outer surface of the platform about three-fourths thegitudinal surface, for the drop of the sides 22,- of the wagon thereon,as further described, r

33 indicates the longitudinal box frame, or conduit, supporting theendless eonveyer, the upper portion of one side of which frame issecured to the longitudinal outer surface of the platform 31.

34indicates the endless conveyer, and 35 indicates the ensilag'e cutterdevices, of well known construction, and therefore, not requiringfurther description.

40 indicates the stalk dumping apparatus, which consists of an axle beam41, upon the ends of which are journaled the wheels 42, which as shownare small in circumference. With the central portion of the beam 41 isconnected the forward end of a steering beam 43, the rear end of whichextends rearwardly a considerable distance, and upon the upper surfaceof said end is a plate 44, supporting the operator. The rear portlon ofthe plate 44 extends a short distance past the rear end of beam 43.Extending upwardly through said plate 44 1s a rotary shaft46, havingbearing rings 47-47", supporting said'shaft in posltlon. The lower endof shaft 46 is forked and provided with the roller 49, journaled at 50in said forked ends.

52 indicates vertical standards, the lower ends being notched at 53, andsecured rigidly at their lower ends to the upper and rear surfaces ofthe bar 43,'the upper ends of the standards extending upwardly in aparallel position, to a height approximately above that of an ordinarywagon bed. These standards 52 are provided with braces 54, which extendfrom the rear surfaces and upper ends of the standards 52 downwardly andrearwardly, and are secured to the outer, vertical surfaces of thebeam43, at a point aboutmidway from the beam 41 to the rear end of said beam43. Brace rods 55 extend from the lateral surfaces of the uprightstandards 52 downwardly, and are secured to, the upper surfaces of thebeam 41.

Between the upper ends and inner surfaces ofcthe standards 52 ispivoted, by the transverse pivot or bolt 56, adjustably, a longitudinalbeam 57 one end of which beam extends rearwardly to a position slightlyforward of a vertical line passing through the forward end of the plate44, on the beam 43. The other end of the beam 57 extends forwardly, to aposition in advance of the beam 52, sufficient to be projected across anordinary wagon bed, and upon the upper and lower surfaces of said end ofthe beam are secured the transverse bars 58 and 59, the length of whichbars is slightly less than the length of an ordinary wagon bed. Thesebars 58 are braced by the brace bars 60, which extend from a positionbetween and at the outer ends of the bars 58 and 59, rearwardly, and aresecured to the outer surfaces of the beam 57. At the rear end of beam 57is an operating handle 57*.

To the outer surfaces of the bars 58 and 59 are secured rigidly thevertically-disposed stalk-dumping teeth or blocks 61, spaced at equaldistances apart, the outer teeth being 5 adjacent the ends of the bars58 and 59.

The ends of teeth 61 extend the requisite distance above and below therespective bars 58 and 59, to engage with a full load of stalks on thewagon bed, the rear surfaces of the lower ends of said teeth 61 beingrearwardly and upwardly curved at 62. "Nith the lower surface and rearend of said beam is connected one end of a spiral spring 63, the otherend of said spring being connected at a point directly below said rearend with a staple 64, on the upper surface of the beam 43.

Upon the upper surface and rear end por tion of beam 57 is secured arack 65.

(36 indicates a securing rod, to prevent lateral strain on the beam 57,a portion 67, of which rod, extends transversely to the beam 57, andengages with the rack 65, the ends of said rod extending forwardly anddownwardly, and having portions bent at right angles and inserted withinthe staples or eyes 69, on the rear surface of the beam 41.

Upon the beam 43 is pivoted, at 70, a whiflietree 71, to whichwhiflietree the horses are hitched, when horses are employed to move theapparatus.

In operation the dumping apparatus is placed in position a considerabledistance from the table 30, with the beams 58 and 59 supporting theteeth 60, extending in the same direction as said table. The wagon 14,with its load of stalks, is now moved into the dotted position seen inFig. 1, parallel with the longitudinal inner surface of the platform 31,and the sides 23 released, by removing the hook 26, the side in thedirection of the platform 31 falling thereon, so as to bring the bars 32and bars 24 in line with each other. The other side member of the wagonis let down, and falls into the dotted position seen in Fig. 1. Theteeth of the dumping apparatus 40 are now moved into a position to meetthe stalks, which as seen upon the wagon have their butts forward inposition. Power now being applied to the dumping apparatus, the teeth 60move over the upper surface of the bottom boards 18, forcing the stalksfrom the bars 21, upon which the plates are supported, and moving theentire load of stalks upon the bars 32, upon the platform 31. Power isagain applied to the dumping apparatus, and the teeth 61 drawnbackwardly over the side 22,

past the bottom 18 and into the original position seen in full lines inFig. 1. The wagon 14 is then withdrawn from its position alongside ofthe platform 31, its sides fastened in position, and the wagon moved tothe position'beside the harvesting machine, as seen in Fig. 2. Upon theWithdrawal of the wagon 14 from the position upon the side of theplatform, power is again applied to the dumping apparatus, and theapparatus moved in the position previously occupied by the wagon, theteeth 60 now being applied directly to the stalks on the bars 32, on theplatform 31,'and the stalks moved gradually, toward the moving slats ofthe conveyer 34, so that the stalks will fall in quantities suificientto be carried to the cutters 35, and cut into short lengths forensilage. As soon as all the stalks on the table or platform 31 are fedto the conveyer 34, the dumping apparatus 40 is moved backward into theposition seen in full lines in Fig. 1, and the operation of supplyingand dumping the stalks, as heretofore described repeated.

In the movements forward of the dumping machine, the beam 57 is underfull control of the operator standing upon the platform 44, and ingrasping the handle 60, an adjustment of the teeth 61 is readily afforded, so as to permit the teeth to engage with the stalks and removethem partially, in repeated forward and backward movements of thedumping apparatus, the spring 53 preventing the shock which wouldotherwise occur when the teeth 61 fall upon the wagon bed. The normalposition of the beam 57 is controlled by the adjusting rod 66, which maybe adjusted in the rack 65, to permit the position of the beam 57 to bechanged, and hence the. teeth 61 to the requirements of a disparity inheights of wagons, which vary, and consequently the height of the wagonbed.

The invention enables the disposition to be made of the stalks, from thestanding corn stalks to the final use of the stalk as food, withoutbunching or tying, and thus dispensing with the cost of the time andmaterials required for those operations.

I am aware that reciprocating rakes have been employed to draw thestalks from the platform of a wagon to the conveyer.

In my invention and in the employment of the alined stalk supportingbars on the wagon and platform there is less frictional surface thanhitherto, hence the large bed ies of corn stalks are moved with theapplication of less and to the conveyer.

Having fully described my invention, what I now claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: j i V 1. A stalk-dumping apparatuscomprising a movable frame, standards supported by said frame, a beampivotally connected with said standards intermediate the ends of saidbeam, stalk-dumping devices carried by one end of said beam, pivotallyconnected at its ends with said frame, and a rack on said beam withwhich the intermediate portion of said rod is adapted to engage.

2. A stalk-dumping machine composed of a main axle beam, and wheelsthereon, a rear guide beam connected with the axle beam, and a swivelwheel supporting the latter beam, standards supported by the axle beam,and a horizontal beam pivotally connected intermediate its ends with theupper ends of said standards, transverse bars connected with one end ofsaid beam, and teeth connected with said bars, and operating handle atthe other end of said beam, and an expanding and contracting springcontrolling the upward and downward movement of said end of the beam,and an adjusting rod pivotally connected at its ends with said axlebeams, and a rack on said end of the beam with which the intermediateportion of said rod is adapted to engage.

ISAAC L. DAWSON.

Witnesses:

SALLIE A. CRnAsoN, JOHN S. BATES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

and an adjusting rod power from one to the other

